


Can We Start Over?

by haechieprint



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Angst, Happy Ending, M/M, RESTART, college party, open ended ending, past relationship, some cussing but only a little
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-24 16:08:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21102233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haechieprint/pseuds/haechieprint
Summary: Hyunjin goes to a party and runs into his ex from 3 years ago."Seungmin felt like a breath of fresh air yet a kick in the gut at the same time and Hyunjin couldn’t decide which feeling was stronger."





	Can We Start Over?

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this listening to 
> 
> The Night We Met by Lord Huron
> 
> i hope you guys enjoy !!
> 
> please note that it's 1 am so sorry if theres any mistakes!!
> 
> also, the title is definitely based off the imagine dragons song: Start Over

From the moment he stepped in the door, Hyunjin knew he shouldn’t have come to the party. Honestly, he should’ve known not to go the moment he felt the littlest bit hesitant at Jisung’s invite. Yet he had said yes, which is how he had ended up in the passenger seat of Jisung’s car, feeling off and uneasy the whole drive.

It’s as if his body just knew that _something_ was going to happen.

Stepping into the house feels suffocating and Hyunjin ignores Jisungs worried glances as they walk inside. He didn’t need his friend feeling guilty about dragging him along because Jisung was right, he needed to get out of their apartment. School had been kicking their asses and the weekends were meant to be relaxing, not the opposite.

Hyunjin shoves through the crowd of bodies, muttering “sorry” as he does, although he knows that his voice would never reach their ears over the noise of the music that’s so loud he believes he might be deaf by the end of the night.

He had no idea where he was going, Jisung having walked off after spotting his boyfriend Minho. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Minho, he just didn’t want to have to be around the couple. It would only remind him of his last relationship, which had ended his senior year of high school, 3 years ago.

Hyunjin had been to a lot of parties before, but never ones that were from another college. He didn’t like feeling out of place or alone and right now he was experiencing both. The uneasy feeling from earlier grows in his stomach and he does his best to ignore it, knowing that he could easily push it out of his mind with some alcohol.

It’s not long before Hyunjin has a cup of beer in his hand, taking his time walking through the house as he sips on the drink occasionally. He turns his head, stopping in his tracks to take a glance at the pool where some teenagers were jumping in or lounging around.

It’s then when he feels someone bump into his shoulder from behind and he stumbles slightly forward from the force but not before reaching out, grabbing onto the person's wrist so they don’t hit the floor.

“You oka-?” His question is cut off as he looks up, the stranger turning around, meeting his eyes. Hyunjin breath catches in his throat and he feels the air sucked out of him. If time could stop, Hyunjin is sure this is what it would feel like because, after 3 years of no contact, Hyunjin’s ex stands right in front of him.

“Seungmin.”

His voice comes out shakier than he would’ve liked and he clears his throat trying his best to compose himself as the boy in front of him pulls his wrist out of Hyunjin’s grasp.

“Hyunjin?” Seungmin’s eyes scan his face, trying to comprehend the situation “Wh- What are you doing here?”

Hyunjin hesitates, still in shock after seeing Seungmin. He looked good, he wasn’t going to lie, the three years apart had done wonders for the boy and he was still as beautiful as Hyunjin remembered, maybe even more.

Seungmin felt like a breath of fresh air yet a kick in the gut at the same time and Hyunjin couldn’t decide which feeling was stronger.

“I- uh Jisung forced me to come” He gets out, his grip so tight on his drink that if he applied a little more pressure the drink would burst.

Seungmin nods, the air falling heavy over them as the conversation grows awkward. Seungmin opens his mouth to say something but Hyunjin cuts him off. He was afraid. Now that Seungmin was here, a flood of repressed emotions washes over him and the fear of losing the boy a second time clenches his heart.

“Can we talk?” He asks his voice pleading.

Hyunjin watches as Seungmin bites his lip, the wheels turning in his head. His hesitancy wasn’t a surprise, they both had hurt each other before they parted all those years ago.

The memory still burns in Hyunjin’s mind and heart.

After a moment that seems to stretch on for eternity, Seungmin finally answers, a sigh escaping his mouth “Sure, yeah. Let’s talk. 

Hyunjin lets out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding and before he knows it, Seungmin is grabbing his arm, pulling him up the stairs to the bedrooms. Seungmin shoves open a random door, entering the room, letting go of Hyunjin’s arm stepping back, “I figured we could talk privately” He explains, stepping onto the balcony.

Hyunjin’s body fills up with tension as his mind flashes back to the last time he and Seungmin had been alone together. The encounter had ended with tears and two broken hearts.

_“We both need this” Hyunjin says, his throat raw from the yelling and the tears running down his face_

_“Why are you deciding for me what _I _need?”_

_“Look at us, Seungmin!” Hyunjin snaps “We’re toxic and we’re only tearing each other apart.” _

At the time, they had been young and stupid, so caught up in the idea of a relationship that they ran headfirst into one neither of them had been prepared for. Two teenagers in high school trying to find themselves, find sanctuary in each other.

Hyunjin hesitantly steps towards Seungmin, standing next to him as they overlook the backyard of the house. The autumn air is cool and a chill runs down Hyunjin’s spine.

It’s standing here, next to Seungmin where Hyunjin feels comfortable. Even though they hadn’t seen each other in years, his presence was familiar and he wasn’t sure if that made him ache more or feel safer.

“So, how’s college been treating you?” Seungmin asks his voice calm, matching the atmosphere around them. The balcony provided them a chance to be separated; to forget about the party below them just outside the doors.

Hyunjin shrugs at the question, “The usual. I’m broke and Jisung and I live off of microwavable ramen because we can’t cook for shit.”

“Well, I see the cooking thing hasn’t changed since high school.”

“Hey!” Hyunjin exclaims at the retort letting out a breathy laugh which Seungmin joins in on.

Their laughter dies down and for the first time that night, a comfortable silence falls over them. Hyunjin turns his head, locking eyes with Seungmin, small smiles across their faces. It’s in this moment, with Seungmin’s face lit from the moonlight, that Hyunjin can remember the moment he met him. It was a simple memory; Hyunjin had transferred schools and Chan, having already been friends with Hyunjin, introduced him to his friend group.

He remembers walking behind Chan to the lunch table when melodic laughter reached his ears and Hyunjin turned to see the prettiest boy he had ever laid eyes on. The world seemed to tilt on its axis when Seungmin’s shimmering eyes met his.

_“My name’s Seungmin,” He said with a wave, a beautiful smile across his face._

God, Hyunjin loved that smile.

_“I have a feeling we’re going to be good friends.” _

Well, Seungmin definitely hadn’t been wrong

“You know” Hyunjin starts, tearing his gaze away from Seungmin’s “I’d like to think that what happened 3 years ago is in the past.”

He sees Seungmin nod out of the corner of his eye, “Me too. I feel like we’ve both had enough time to really just… _think._”

“And if it’s any closure” Seungmin continues softly, “I’m sorry for the things that I said that night. I was angry and confused and I wasn’t thinking straight”

Their relationship had started off great. They were the most stereotypical form of best friends to lovers you could find.

No one was ready for the turning point.

They had rushed in; neither of them ready for a relationship. They got into arguments more often, frustration seeping off of them, affecting the other. Their friends felt it as well; the tension in the air after a fight.

They were each other's illness and cure.

_“I loved you!” Seungmin’s voice is full of venom, hitting him like a punch to the face. _

_“You sure about that?” Hyunjin is surprised at how cold his voice is,“Or did you just _think _you loved me?” _

“I’m sorry too. We were young and completely and utterly idiotic.”

Seungmin let’s out a laugh and Hyunjin finds himself grinning, “You are very right about that.”

Another silence falls over them and this time, Hyunjin knows exactly what he wants to ask no matter what Seungmin’s answer might be, “Do you think you could give me another chance? Not as a lover but as a friend?”

There’s another beat of silence before Seungmin answers and Hyunjin finds himself alight with hope, “I think I could do that.”

The two of them had grown up, moved along in their lives trying not to dwell on their mistakes. While their relationship as lovers had been ruined, Hyunjin still missed their friendship and so did Seungmin.

Seungmin steps towards him carefully, “While I don’t want this to be a complete restart, I think it’s only necessary that I do this.”

Seungmin takes a deep breath before putting on his biggest grin.

_“Hi, my name’s Seungmin and I have a feeling we’re going to be good friends.”_

**Author's Note:**

> please tell me what you thought!! i hope you liked it 
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/nctisthelovee)
> 
> [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/nctisthelovee)


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